Registration HERE!

Film Discussion of Il Postino on Sunday, June 30th starting1pm @MetroWines. The event and popcorn is on the house. A glass of Italian red or white wine is $7. Robert Formento, Film Coordinator for Ciao Asheville will lead the discussion. Robert has extensive knowledge of Italian Films. His brief synopsis of Il Postino is here:

Il Postino

Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet-diplomat and politician. Probably best known for his passionate love poems, he also served a number of diplomatic positions in Chile, but because of his politics (he was a communist), he got himself into trouble with the Chilean government and was exiled to The Isle of Capri in Italy in the early 50s. (Tough exile!)

The movie, Il Postino, takes place after Pablo Neruda arrives. It is a story about Mario, a bumbling mailman, who’s madly in love with Beatrice, the most beautiful woman on this island. . . . but is too shy to tell her how he feels. With Pablo’s help, he finds the right words to win her heart. 

Il Postino was nominated for 5 Oscars in 1994 (Best Actor, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Music Score and Best Picture) Those viewers who loved the movie, Cinema Paradiso, will be pleased that Philippe Noiret (who played Alfredo, the movie projectionist) also plays the role of Pablo Neruda in Il Postino. Mario is wonderfully played by Massimo Troisi. Although not well known in America, Troisi was very well known in Italy for his comedy films. Sadly, Massimo died one day after major filming was completed. The movie ends with a simple dedication, “To Our Friend Massimo”.

News Release: Monday, June 10th, 2019

Contact for MetroWines: Gina Trippi

This was not a structured interview, just bits and pieces I picked up while Gustavo chatted with us and the dinner guests. Hee we go:

Mira Wine Dinner with Winemaker!
at Smoky Park Supper Club

Thursday, June 6th at 6:30
https://metrowinesasheville.com/wine-blogs/blog/entry/
mira-dinner-at-smoky-park-supper-club

*** This is BIG. This is Mira! ***
And this is Coming Up! Call Now!

Call Smoky Park at (828) 350-0315

Event Posted on Carolina Epicurean!
https://carolinaepicurean.com/2019/05/mira-wine-dinner-at-smoky-park-super-club/

Calabria is Back!
More Specifically, "Ippolito" is back in the House.

In 1845, Vincenzo Ippolito stamped his initials on a country house that sat amongst vineyards,
olive groves, and orange trees in the heart of the Marina of Ciro. With a 160+ year history, Ippolito is Calabria’s oldest winery. Located in the historic center of Ciro Marina, the heart of Calabrian wine-growing, the company maintains a farm amongst rolling hills and sunny plains near the Ionian Sea.
The company’s mission is the restoration and enhancement of indigenous grapes.

More about Ippolito from Wine Spectator
https://www.winespectator.com/articles/calabrian-wine-rocks


Mare Chiaro (clear sea) is 100% Greco Bianco, a grape indigenous to the area at the Ionian Sea.
This Calabrian white has an explosive nose full of fresh flowers and bright citrus.
All steel tank, no oak to preserve freshness and fruit. Organic.
Note: For Sauvignon Blanc Fans looking to step outside their comfort zone,
this is a good choice. Fresh, snappy, flavorful.

100% Galioppo aged in French Oak.
Ruby red in color with a light purple hue, complex aromas of wild berries, violets,
spice and a soft note of oak provided by barrique aging. A full-bodied, rich and velvety wine.

Wine Dinner at Celine and Company

"Asian Fusion with a French Kiss"

Wednesday, June 12th, 6:30
Grapevine Distribution and MetroWines

Check Out This Menu!
https://metrowinesasheville.com/wine-blogs/
blog/entry/wine-dinner-at-celine-and-company

The Jude Law Retro Shirt Look
https://www.wsj.com/articles/this-retro-shirt-will-make-you-look-like-
jude-law-this-summer-11558461045?mod=newsviewer_click
This is probably for the more Avant Guard Dad.
Let's pair the present with a wine that is a little outside the Dad comfort zone.



Rickety Bridge 2017 Pinotage, $26
Rickety Bridge is a boutique wine cellar situated just on the edge of Franschhoek village
in South Africa. With just an hour or so drive from Cape Town, the vineyard is a favorite
with tourists to Franschhoek with its picturesque setting and great quality wines.
This classic pinotage is produced from vines in the Swartland region. A smooth Pinotage showing some earthy characters and underlying dark berry flavors and a hint of bramble. It's So Dad.

Leah Chase, the famed Creole Chef, passed away at 96. Over the decades, Leah served everyone from Presidents to janitors. We loved Leah. Subscribe to our email for wine pairings with some of her most loved and "cooked" recipes  posted on Sunday, June 9th!

From the Dooky Chase Website:

Leah Chase

Known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” Leah Chase has fed Quincy Jones, Jesse Jackson, Duke Ellington, Thurgood Marshall, James Baldwin, Ray Charles, Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama and countless others as Executive Chef of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant — one of the best-known and most culturally significant restaurants in New Orleans. Leah Chase has more recently served as the inspiration for Princess Tiana in Disney's Princess and the Frog. 

Born on January 6, 1923 in New Orleans, Chase was one of 14 children. She was raised in the small town of Madisonville, LA. There were no high schools for black children, so after sixth grade, Chase moved to New Orleans to live with an aunt. After completing high school, Chase had a colorful work history including managing two amateur boxers and becoming the first woman to mark the racehorse board for a local bookie. Her favorite job, though, was waiting tables in the French Quarter. It was here that she developed her love for food and feeding others. 

In 1946, she married local musician Edgar “Dooky” Chase Jr., whose father had opened a street corner stand selling lottery tickets and his wife’s homemade po’boy sandwiches. Eventually, Leah and Dooky Jr. took over the business, which by then had become a sit-down restaurant and a favorite local gathering place. 

In a town deeply divided by segregation, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant was one of the only public places in New Orleans where mixed race groups could meet to discuss strategy for the local Civil Rights Movement. Although such gatherings were illegal through most of the 1960s, Dooky Chase’s was so popular; it would have caused a public uproar if local law enforcement had interrupted the meetings. Black voter registration campaign organizers, the NAACP, backdoor political meetings and countless others often found a home at Dooky Chase’s, and Leah cooked for them all. 

Chase is also a patron of black art and her collection — displayed on the walls of her restaurant — was at one time considered New Orleans’ best collection of African American art. To this day, she serves on the board of the New Orleans Museum of Fine Arts and has even testified before Congress to lobby for greater funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. She has participated in countless political campaigns and has used her culinary talents and celebrity to raise money for a myriad of charities and services. Her cookbooks, including The Dooky Chase Cookbook, And Still I Cook, and Leah Chase: Listen, I Say Like This, are popular and have received great praise among her most famous colleagues. 

Chase has received many awards, including multiple awards from the NAACP, the New Orleans Times-Picayune 1997 Loving Cup Award, the Weiss Award from the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Outstanding Woman Award from the National Council of Negro Women. Chase was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America in 2010. She was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Southern Foodways Alliance in 2000. Chase received honorary degrees from Tulane University, Dillard University, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, Madonna College, Loyola University New Orleans, and Johnson & Wales University. She is also the recipient of the Francis Anthony Drexel Medal, the highest award presented to an individual by Xavier University of Louisiana. The medal is not presented annually. The Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana named a permanent gallery in Chase's honor in 2009. She also serves on many boards, including the Arts Council of New Orleans, the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Urban League. She is member of the Women of The Storm and the International Women’s Forum. She has four children, sixteen grandchildren and twenty-two great-grandchildren. 

Many are attracted to her warmth and mastery of culinary arts, that to this day still excite the minds of those she serves. Ray Charles sang about her, and National and International Presidents have sought her out, but in all her ability to excite the palates of Leaders she has remained steadfast in her ministry to all.

** Recipe for Creole Shrimp Gumbo **

SOLD OUT

News Release: Thursday, May 30th, 2019

*** Great Rose Tasting ***

Saturday, June 1st
from 10am to 7pm @MetroWines!
No reservations needed. No charge. No reason not to join us!

As always, 6 Bottles of Rose from Around the World.
Event pricing on Featured Bottles!

*** This Just In and Coming Up ***
Hopler (Bergenland, Austria) Wine Tasting
Hosted by Hopler Owner and Lead Winemaker

*** Christof Hopler ***

Hopler is a family winery in Bergenland Germany
that is winery to some of the biggest names in food including
Jamie Oliver, Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Gordon Ramsey!

Tuesday, June 4th 

from 5-6:30 @MetroWines
"on the house" @ and ONLY @MetroWines!

Mira Wine Dinner with Winemaker!
at Smoky Park Supper Club

Thursday, June 6th at 6:30
** Hosted by Winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez **
https://metrowinesasheville.com/wine-blogs/blog/entry/
mira-dinner-at-smoky-park-supper-club
John Kerr of The Asheville School of Wine says:
"The Cabernet Franc from Mira is one of the best anywhere."
Call Smoky Park at (828) 350-0315
Event Posted on Carolina Epicurean!
https://carolinaepicurean.com/2019/05/mira-wine-dinner-at-smoky-park-super-club/

Sour is on the RISE!
Ligaya Mishan writes in the New York Times Magazine:
Sour is ascendant! Sour is booming in candy, cocktails and food.
And home fermentation is back! Basements are full of loaded jars again.

But, in terms of wine pairing, sour is a tough customer.
As always, pairing depends on the details of your recipe but generally speaking....
The easiest wine pairing with sour is contrast, that is, fruity or possibly a touch of the sweet,
to balance out the sour. think of the classic sweet and sour sauce. The food pairing is in the sauce itself!
So let's pair a bottle that will sidle past the sour and smooth out the experience.
Borealis has the slightest touch of sweetness. Pairing it with the sour,
you will not taste the sweetness, you will taste balance.


BOREALIS, $16.99
38% Muller-Thurgau, 32% Gerwerztraminer, 19% Riesling and 11% Pinot Gris

Flavorful and multi-dimensional, this perennial crowd pleaser is a blend
of the winery's favorite cool-climate whites.
Crafted to display the unique qualities of each variety, heady scents of orange blossom,
ripe honeydew, guava and kiwi offer a vibrant introduction to this aromatic blend.
The palate is sumptuous and round, bursting with stone fruit, Meyer lemon
and juicy pear drizzledwith caramel. Clean, bright and uplifting finish.

Warm Weather PartEEEE!
From Badenhorst, Curator is organic, sustainably farmed and part of the bio diversity project.


A blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Semillon from Swartland in South Africa.
On the nose, find beeswax, lemon zest, lime and fresh peach. The palate is peach with hints of honey,
yellow apple, and citrus peel. Full fruit but still DRY with a peach, lemon-lime finish.
Excellent value selected Washington Post #2 best bargain wine of 2018!

Curator is $9.99 @MetroWines!

The Asheville Wine Focus Group
"Manager's Special"

These are wines that our new manager, Zach,
thinks should be in the shop.

As always, YOU DECIDE!
https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/wp-content/uploads/HiRes-1-768x676.jpg 768w,
Wednesday, June 12th from 5:30 to 6:30
@ and ONLY @metroWines
Call (828) 575-9525 
online: https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/wine-focus-group-june-12/

Wine Pairing Dinner at Celine and Company
on Broadway in Asheville

"Asian Fusion with a French Kiss"

Wednesday, June 12th, 6:30
$75 (including tax and gratuity)
As Featured in Carolina Epicurean
https://carolinaepicurean.com/2019/05/wine-dinner-
at-celine-and-company-asian-fusion-with-french-twist/

From The Metro Wines Book Review Department
Diner a La Maison
By Parisian Designer, Architect and Bon vivant Laurent Buttazzoni
In this guide to hosting chic French stye dinner parties,
you will find recipes to table settings
and an interaction by frequent guest, Sofia Coppola.
Review: https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847864706/

YOUR "READ IT WITH WINE"
As the recipes are influenced by local culture and include local ingredients:
read: all very different.
Let's go with a versatile wine with wide ranging pairing potential.  

Cuvee Annibals 2018, $16.99
A blend of 70%Cinsault, 10%Syrah, 10%Grenache, 5%Ugni Blanc and 5%Rolle.
Popular every year, Annibals is limited.

And your Winemaker:

Located in the heart of the Provence verte region, Chateau des Annibals,
founded 1772, spreads over 75 acres.  Chateau des Annibals is a pillar estate of the region.
Nathalie Coquelle, owner and winemaker, has dedicated herself to sustainability.
The estate is farmed organically and run using 100% of renewable energy sources.

ARTICHOKES


David Tanis of New York Times City Kitchesn tells us that an artichoke is not a vegetable,
it is a flower that we eat just before the purple bloom bursts.
Eric Asimov, NYT Wine Critic steps up to pairthe artichoke calling it a vegetable.
OK, let them fight that one out. A rose is a rose. Let's move on.

Conventional wine wisdom says a chemical in artichokes can make wine taste sweet.
This is especially true if you choose an oaked wine. 
OK. So select an un-oaked, dry Vermentino, Etna Bianco or Sauvignon Blanc,
Manzanilla Sherry, Txakolina or our choice, Vermentino from Sardegna.


2018 Parpinello Vermentino, Sardegna, Italy, $15.99
Elegant and fine aromas of ripe tropical fruits, with an intriguing hint
of bitter almonds and a lovely spicy finish. 13% ALC
The Parpinello family have passionately run this winery for three generations.
Giampaolo Parpinello and son Paolo strive to maintain the respect for the typicity of the wines
from the Sardinian terroir. The vineyards are situated on a gentle slope between Alghero and Sassari,
in the North-West of the island. The most modern winemaking technology is successfully combined
with traditional farming and respect for the environment. The result is high quality wines
with aroma and flavor, recalling those of the area from which they originate.
Bring ON the Artichokes!

*** Father's Day ***
We Got This But Good

Louis Sarkozy, the son of Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France,
has created a line of shoesinspired by a few of his "brainy heroes"
including Marie Curie, Sigmund Freud and Thomas Jefferson. 
https://www.tatler.com/article/louis-sarkozy-launches-shoe-collection-boonper
Add a bottle of Bordeaux and you have an unbeatable gift!
Domaine de Galouchey
2015 Vin de Jardin Bordeaux, $34


A blend of 65%Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 3%Carmenere,
2%Petit Verdit, 1%Sauvignon Blanc, 1%Sauvignon Gris, 1%Semillon and 1%Muscadelle

John Kerr of The Asheville School of Wine says of this bottle:
"The wine is rich. The white grapes add a complexity and smoothness
not usually found in a red Bordeaux."

MONEY. MAYHEM. MURDER!

By Very Popular Demand
HIGH Sell-Out Risk. Shop NOW!

Andy Hale, Director of The Asheville School of Wine,
takes you through the darkest side of wine from the Borgias in Italy
to the present day in North Carolina.
Tickets: https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/money-mayhem-murder-all-3-classes/
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Wine
Some suggestions for you!
In an interview with NPR, Tyson said:
"I'm a sucker for cosmically conceived wine names and labels."
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/07/22/486066690/
astrophysicist-wine-lover-foodie-the-neil-degrasse-tyson-you-didnt-know
To meet your interest in cosmically conceived labels, we suggest 2017 Les Heretique
(label from last vintage but the picture was so good and, anyway, the label is always the same.)
The Bottle and Cosmically Influenced Label:
The Wine: 

A blend of 90%Carignan and 10% Syrah produced with biodynamic methods, organic and unfiltered.
The Carignan vines average 40 years in age, with some of them being over 100 years old.
The fruit is sustainably farmed and harvested partly by hand and partly by machine.
Half of the Carignanis vinified traditionally--destemmed and fermented in used barrel
and macerated with skins for 30 days, half as whole clusters with carbonic maceration.
Wines are blended with Syrah and aged in a combination of steel tank and neutral oak vats.

History figures prominently in this label from Château d'Oupia. "Les Hérétiques"
is named in recogntion of the Cathars, a heretical Christian group once based in the Languedoc
but wiped out by order of Pope Innocent III in 1208 in response to the murder of a papal representative
by a Cathar supporter near Minervois. The castle, home to Château d'Oupia in Minervois dates back to this time.

The Winemaker:
(Interlude) Tyson takes some pretty controversial positions in the wine world like this one:
"And the fact is, let a grape hang without intervening and you’re not getting Jamet Côte-Rôtie.
You’re getting salad dressing."  YIKES
Neil deGrasse Tyson has a well documented love and, as you might expect, extensive knowledge of wine.
Apparently when he’s not working on unlocking the secrets of the cosmos, he’s trying to understand
the secrets of Gouges, the enigmatic grand cru wines of the Nuits-Saint-George region of Burgundy.
http://palatepress.com/2014/05/wine/learned-wine-neil-degrasse-tyson/
Jerome Chézeaux Nuits -Saint George, 1st Cru Les Vaucrains
from Neil Rosenthal Wine Merchants, $74
Somewhat reticent right now, swirling reveals dark red and black fruits that build in intensity
along with classic hints of earth (sous bois), creating a rustic and brooding style
that has a lot of structure in its youth.
A very classic and traditional representation of this famed vineyard site,
although this one will need some time to show at its best.
************************************
(More Value minded, relatively speaking, of course.)
Cote de Nuits Villages 2016, Domaine Gachot Monot, $41
Kermit Lynch Import

Damien Gachot sources grapes from the village of Corgoloin in the southern end of the Côtes de Nuits
presenting a wine with the velvety character of the Côtes de Beaune while maintaining the structure
and finesse of the Côtes de Nuits. Soft fruit. Exotic spice. The genius of the winemaker is found
in his ability to balance traditional philosophies in the vineyards and respect of terroir 
with more contemporary methodologies in the cellar. His style gracefully manages to achieve approachability
without sacrificing authenticity, typicity, or age-ability. sustainable farmed. Hand picked. 18 months in barrel.
And, either bottle, together with the story,
would make a great Father's Day gift! 

First: The Bad News!
Shop Favorite Paitin Serra Barbera is out with the importer.
But: The Good News is that this is a good time
to move on up to another shop favorite
the Paitin Campolive Barbera D'Alba Superiore, $25

In the steepest, sandier and warmer part of Serraboella, one century ago there was olive trees,
now only the name survived along the generations and some old roots can recall that moment. 
In this area the Barbera has a unique expression for roundness, deepness and aging ability.
Lavender, mint, plum, violet and dark spice add considerable nuance throughout.

Follow "Ciao Asheville" Here:
https://www.facebook.com/CiaoAsheville/

News from Gan Shan:

**AGAIN, THE BIG NEWS!** A reminder that we'll be closing for lunch at Gan Shan Charlotte St. starting June 1st. New hours mean we'll now be open 7 days/week from 5 PM onward. Again, a message from Patrick:   Change and growth are inevitable and necessary in the restaurant industry. To celebrate our first five years in business, I am ready to shift our focus to expanding our dinner menu with exciting new offerings and re-visiting our all-time most popular dishes. We very excited about these changes as they will allow us a restaurant "facelift" and re-focus on a larger menu with fun takes on familiar dishes. We are taking these steps to be better than ever. I'm sure you all will agree.   What to look for: New hours: Sunday - Thursday 5pm to 9:30pm, Friday/Saturday 5pm to 10:30pm Expanded menu with new dishes and cocktails Updated wine list Refreshed aesthetic and decor Outdoor field lighting New Promotional Nights And more... Catering and Event Space Our developing catering menu will have exciting new offerings. We recently debuted some of these foods at the Preservation Society's Croquet in the Park event for which we were thrilled to provide the food. These menus can be catered to individual desires/needs and in the coming weeks we will be posting on our website and have information available in the restaurant.  Gan Shan Station will be available during the day to host private events and meetings in our unique space, all of which can be catered if you choose. We are already planning on teaming up with our Charlotte street neighbors Metro Wines to expand upon their extremely popular wine education classes as well as other wine-related events. If you have a neighborhood event or meeting that you would like to hold in our space, please reach out as we'd love to have you. This allows us to expand further upon our mission to nourish and build community and it is my sincere hope that our neighbors use us as a fun space to host their meetings, lunch parties, or whatever may come up.  Lunch Don't worry, you'll still be able to get you fix of Gan Shan foods for lunch across town at our West Asheville location. Our hours won't be changing there and it is built for speed and deliciousness.  Thank you all for supporting us. We're so excited about this change and hope you are also. Please contact us with any questions and we look forward to having you in for the last couple weeks of lunch.  With much gratitude, Patrick

News Release: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

News Release: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

News Release: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

*** LAST CALL ***

French Twist
French Fare. North Carolina Flair.



Wine Pairing Dinner

at The Princess Anne Hotel
301 East Chestnut, One Block off Charlotte Street.

*** May 23rd starting 6:30. $125  ***

Support Charlotte Street Neighborhood
and Women Chefs!
Chef Amber Whitt combines her Classic French Cuisine
with North Carolina Flavors.

Menu and Details: https://metrowinesasheville.com/wine-blogs/
blog/entry/french-twist-at-princess-anne-hotel

Klinker Brick Wine Dinner
at Bone and Broth with Chef Chris Benson


Wednesday, May 29th, 6pm
$75 including tax and gratuity.
Call with credit card to (828) 575-9525
or shop online here: 
https://metrowinesasheville.com/wine-blogs/blog/entry/
klinker-brick-dinner-at-bone-and-brothCall f

Spring Essential "Do it All" Big RED


Jeff Runquist, Winemaker 
Sierra Nevada Mountains, $17.99

 "1448" is deep and dark in the glass with bright and beautiful hues
and an edge of magenta. The aromas lead with blue and black fruits,
most notably black raspberry, along with blackberry and mulberry
and wafts of sweet vanilla, hazelnut, violets and lavender.
Plenty of ripe fruit framed by a toasted oak creaminess on the palate.
The tannins are mature and add richness and texture. 

Spring Essential "Do it All" White
Skeleton Gruner Veltliner 2017
Liter Bottle Means 13 More Wine!

$9.99 @MetroWines.
$12.99 at Wine.com and unavailable!


Winemaker's Notes: Fresh, fruity, and above all, food-friendly,
our Grüner Veltliner shows off the charms that make this grape
Austria's favorite white wine varietal. A racy wine with explosive fruit flavors,
a light mineral undercurrent, and a full, expansive finish.

Spring Essential "Do It All" (lighter) Red
Langhe Rosso 2016 Blend $16.99


One of the singular best values in European table red, this brilliant blend of Barbera,
Nebbiolo and Dolcetto sings with wild berries, cherries. Piedmont, Italy

Asheville School of Wine May Classes
with Andy Hale, Director of The Asheville School of Wine @MetroWines

** Much Maligned Grapes: Riesling **
"Not always sweet. Not even always German. But always cool!"
https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/much-maligned-grapes-riesling-on-may-21/
Tuesday, May 21st, 5:30-6:30 @MetroWines

** Wine Essentials **
READ: SECRETS. What they don't want you to know
and they know who they are!

Wednesday, May 22nd, 5:30-6:30 @MetroWines
https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/wine-essentials-class/

Follow Andy Hale and The Asheville School of Wine here:
https://www.ashevilleschoolofwine.com

** ASPARAGUS **
The story of this painting has endured: Manet sold Charles Ephrussi 
"A Bunch of Asparagus" for 800 francs. But Ephrussi sent him a 1,000 francs,
and Manet, who was a master of elegance and wit, painted this asparagus
and sent it to him with a note saying: "There was one missing from your bunch".

Asparagus is a vegetal vegetable! The chlorophyll green flavor, while making asparagus delectable,
flat out clashes with a lot of wines. And, the green giant has compounds like asparagusic acid,
causing many wines taste metallic and harsh.
Generally wine speaking, avoid tannic reds or oaked whites. Select an unoaked wine
that offers citrus and herbal flavors. You might consider a Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé
from France’s Loire Valley, Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Alsace Riesling
or even and un-oaked Chardonnay from a cooler region like the Willamette Valley.

OR, You Know. Yes You Do. ROSE

Asparagus tolerates great temperature variations: growing in the Imperial Valley
of Southern California where temperatures can reach 115° F to Minnesota 
where temperaturescan plunge to -40° F. Asparagus grow in a wide range of soils and climates. 
In this country, the bulk of asparagus come from Central Valley, California.

Let's go with tradition: what grows together goes together!

Tinto Rey 2018 Rose, Zamora, 
(upper Central Valley) California, $11.99

An Estate Bottled Blend of 53% Tempranillo, 31% Tannat and 16% Verdejo
Winery Tasting Notes: The 2018 Tinto Rey Rosé has a beautiful pale coral color
from the co-fermentation of Tempranillo, Tannat and Verdejo.
Enticing aromas of white peach and nectarine lead to flavors of cream cola and sassafras
that are balanced by a lively, tart cherry finish. There is some weight to this pretty wine
and a bright finish with a lingering hint of tangerine.

MONEY. MAYHEM. MURDER!

By Very Popular Demand
HIGH Sell-Out Risk. Shop NOW!

Andy Hale, Director of The Asheville School of Wine,
takes you through the darkest side of wine from the Borgias
in Italy to the present day in North Carolina.

Tuesday, June 13th, 20th and 27th
$30 per class or $75 for the Series
Reserve your seat at (828) 575-9525
Shop Online: https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/
product/money-mayhem-murder-all-3-classes/

From The MetroWines Book Review Department
Ruth Reichl, multiple James Beard winner and best selling author,
talks about her decade as Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine.

This is the story of a former Berkeley hippie entering the corporate world
and worrying about losing her soul. It is the story of the moment restaurants
became an important part of popular culture, a time when farm-to-table
changed the way we eat. Meet legendary chefs like David Chang
and Eric Ripert, idiosyncratic writers like David Foster Wallace,
and a group of editors and art directors who, under Reichl's leadership,
transformed stately Gourmet into a cutting-edge publication.
This was the golden age of print media. Perhaps the last spendthrift gasp
before the Internet turned the magazine world upside down.

Complete with recipes, Save Me the Plumsis a personal journey of a woman
coming to terms with being in charge and making a mark, following a passion
and holding on to her dreams even when she ends up in a place she never expected to be.

Your Read it With Wine, $13.99
This book is about independence, courage, confidence, 
stepping outside your comfort zone and well, that's life.



Winery Tasting Notes: 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Syrah. Bright, modern, and clean fruit
make up this friendly red. Versatile with or without food, this unique blend is sure to entice.
It has a clear ruby color, with a purple tint; fragrant nose of ripe cherries and raspberries;
dry, medium body; ripe berry flavour with a touch of spice; balanced acidity.

Ciao Asheville 
Presents
"Italian Hand Gestures"
with Roberto Stragiotti

Oh yes, we are going there....

Wednesday, June 19th from 5:30-6:30
@MetroWines and ONLY @MetroWines
$10 for the presentation, a glass of Italian Red or White Wine

*** and a LOT of Fun! ***

Call (828) 575-9525
Online here: https://metrowinesasheville.com/
store/product/italian-hand-gestures/
Reserve NOW. Very High Sell Out Risk.
Seating is Limited

Follow Ciao Asheville here:
https://www.facebook.com/CiaoAsheville/

And Register to Learn the (Verbal !!) Language
The Low Pressure Way with UNCA Professor Dr. Valeria Tezzon
HERE: https://metrowinesasheville.com/store/product/
italian-language-classes-10-class-series/

Best "Put a Chill on it Red" from Alto Adige

@MetroWines on Tuesday!



Can you say Schiava?
Wine Folly says: Schiava is kind of like breathing in a bouquet of roses
while getting a massage from Strawberry Shortcake. Shockingly, this wine hasn’t been
on radar for years because it’s so elegant, and light.

Winery says: This indigenous grape variety had its first documented historical mention
at the end of the Middle Ages, and it has played a central role in Alto Adige/Südtirol winegrowing
since the sixteenth century. Schiava presents aromas of sweet cherries, red currants,
raspberries and strawberries. Added to this, there are often tones of almonds and violets.
The Schiava grape produces a light wine low in tannins, with moderate alcohol content,
low acidity and individual character that is typical of the area.

Good Pairing? Shiso enhanced dishes! Say what? Asheville Tailgate Markets are bursting
with this mint family herb, AKA Perilla. A dark purple, the taste is often described as
a marriage of Basil and Cumin. Some say you might also detect a whiff of Cinnamon and Anise.
Add to mushroom dishes, soba noodles, stir fry and eggs or any combination thereof!

** SMACK DOWN: Lillet vs Aperol **

You Knew This Day Had to Come.
NYT takes the challenge and compares Aperol to Lillet
After several rounds, NYT calls the Smack Down for Lillet!
Usually, we side with Italian over French, just because...
But this time, NYT might be right.
NYT suggests Lillet and Fever Tree Tonic.
Lillet? Yeah we got that! We got both!





NYT is in good company on this one. 

The 'Vesper Martini' is the famous drink made with Lille
ordered by James Bond in both the book and the movie Casino Royale. 
The recipe for Bond's "Vesper" martini, as described in the 1953 book:
"Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Lillet. 
Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel."

Lillet is a blend of 85% Bordeaux region wines (Semillon for the Blanc and Rose',
Merlot for the Rouge) and 15% mascerated liqueurs,
mostly citrus liquers (peels of sweet oranges from Spain and Morocco
and peels of bitter green oranges from Haiti).
The mix is then stirred in oak vats until blended.
During the aging process, Lillet is handled as a Bordeaux Wine. 

Remember: Shaken. Not Stirred!

News Release: May 20, 2019

MetroWines supports the AB Tech Locker with donations from our Customers.  Thank you GM for your contribution!

What's it all about?

The Locker is a professional clothing closet that offers free men's and women's business attire to A-B Tech students and the Asheville community. Sponsored by A-B Tech's Phi Beta Lambda chapter, The Locker includes an assortment of seasonal clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Phi Beta Lambda is a national business organization that strives to guide and promote professional development. In opening and operating The Locker, Phi Beta Lambda hopes to serve the community by supporting professional growth.

Gently used business clothes are donated to The Locker by businesses and individuals in the Asheville community. Phi Beta Lambda welcomes all members of the community to donate unwanted professional attire for all seasons to their project.

The Locker is located in Birch 106. To set up an appointment, donate clothing, or for more information about The Locker or Phi Beta Lambda, contact Marlene Frisbee at 828-398-7247.

News Release: Friday, March 17th, 2019

Tickets HERE!! (HIGH Sell Out Risk)

And Katarina had a great time and has already agreed to return in October!

Extra Info: HERE!